Stormy Weather! Ha! I will laugh in the face of adversity!

What is the most common weather in Mexico? Chili Today. Hot Tamale! I remember my mission trip to Juarez, Mexico.  I was sick with an infected tooth.  Fortunately, a fellow in the Church, who happened to be a dentist gave me free dental care.  I was so relieved. The other blessing was I got pain pills to help me through the pain. However, before I was treated, the pain was practically unbearable. The one thing that gave me the relief I needed, was the pastor of the Church we were serving in, was so funny. He could do just about any imitation and his jokes were hilarious!  That is when he told me the weather joke. He also said it with a thick Spanish accent! He also looked like Red Skelton!  For those who do not remember or know the famous Red Skelton, he was the funniest man on earth.  I use to watch him on TV with my family and laugh so hard.  He created great skits and characters.

Life can be hard.  It helps just to laugh. Jesus said it like this: 

 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." John 16:33

Now, I know that joy is different than laughter and being happy I get that. However, the two go hand in hand often enough. Laughter is often an ingredient that can help redirect our focus. The same way with praising or singing.
There is this story in: Acts 16:25-34 New International Version (NIV)

25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. 26 Suddenly there was such a violent earthquake that the foundations of the prison were shaken. At once all the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains came loose. 27 The jailer woke up, and when he saw the prison doors open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself because he thought the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul shouted, “Don’t harm yourself! We are all here!”

29 The jailer called for lights, rushed in and fell trembling before Paul and Silas. 30 He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
31 They replied, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”32 Then they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all the others in his house. 33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his household were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole household.

Please do not misunderstand me here I am not talking about "Grin and bear it" theology. Many are fooled into thinking, "If only I will put on a happy face..." I am talking about my heart.  That is where the true joy of the Lord is created. Cultivating healthy intimate relationships with Him, others and ourselves are the primary ingredients in producing joy.  Paul and many others in the Bible spoke of this joy.  Scriptures like in Philippians 2:2
...then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. 
I Believe Paul had a special insight into our relationship with the Body of Christ in this verse.  As I look around at the Church in the US, we are so divided by so many issues.  Often more loyal to our political agenda's than our love for each other.  Jesus warns us that in the last days that the love of many will grow cold.  There is a true weather alert!  I pray I will take heed to what the weather report is saying. I see in so many places, the temperature is below freezing in our hearts towards our fellows, the earth, and the creation that the Almighty God put us in charge over. 

So to wrap up this rant, I will end with a winter joke I thought was particularly funny.

Q: Why did Frosty the snowman want a divorce?                              A: Because he thought his wife was a flake 

source: http://www.jokes4us.com/miscellaneousjokes/weatherjokes/winterjokes.html

LOL!!!!